Lock buckle



6 4r: ATTORNEY R O T N E v HUGO R. KIRSTEN B:

H. R. KIRSTEN LOCK BUCKLE Original Filed 001:. 25, 1950 Dec. 1, 1953 Reissued Dec. 1, 1953 LOCK BUCKLE Hugo R. Kirsten, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Original No. 2,618,826, dated November 25, 1952,

Serial No. 192,040, October 25, 1950. Application for reissue August 7, 1953, Serial No.

6 Claims.

This invention relates to locks in general and more especially to locks for belt buckles such as used on belts or strait jackets for obstreperous and demented persons.

Among the objects of the present invention it is aimed to provide an improved lock particularly adapted for belt buckles such as disclosed in applicants copending application for patent- Serial No. 792,980, filed December 20, 1947, which matured in Letters Patent No. 2,536,063, dated January 2, 1951, the parts of which lend themselves to mass production at a comparatively low cost, both with regard to manufacture of the parts, but also with regard to the assembly of the same, and which look when equipped on a belt will have not only all of the advantages of applicant's earlier construction disclosed in the aforesaid patent application, but also many additional advantages.

These and other features, capabilities and advantages of the present invention will appear from the subjoined detailed description of one specific embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view, and Fig. 2 a side elevation of a belt buckle equipped with the improved lock secured to a belt partly broken away.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the working parts of the lock with a portion of the key.

Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmental side views partly in section showing the lock successively in open position and in final locked position, with the tongue engaging the bolt in locked position in Fig. 6.

Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmental side views partly in section showing the lock successively in locked position with the tongue out of locked relationship with the bolt, and the lock in prelocked position when the lock is momentarily moved from locked position before being moved into locked position by the tongue.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the lock constituting the main feature of the present invention is shown equipped on a belt buckle 2 connected to a belt 3 composed of leather or the like.

The end of the belt 3 is positioned between the overlapping plate portions 4 and 5 of the metal plate 6, being rounded at I, and outwardly L expressed at 8 in the plate portion 5 to receive the ends of the leather loop 9, which ends are disposed between the belt 3 and the extension 8 of the plate portion 5. Preferably as shown,

there is also provided a leather extension ID with an enlargement disposed under the buckle 2 Matter enclosed in heavy brackets appears in the original patent but forms no part of this reissue specification; matter printed in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

and the narrow portion I2 positioned on the outer face of the plate portion 4 with rivets l3,

HI and I5 securing the narrow portion I2 and plate portions 4 and 5 to the end of the belt 3 and to one another, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The buckle 2 preferably has a chape or cross bar It extending through the rounded or looped portion I of the plate 6 with the sleeves l1 and I8 to either side of the enlargement I9 of the tongue 20, the enlargement I9 being pivotally mounted on the chape I5 between the sleeves I1 and I8. The enlargement I9 of the tongue as shown in Fig. 1 is disposed on the chape I6 movable in the recess 2| formed in the metal plate 6. The ends of the chape I6 are diminished as shown at 22 and 23 to enter the openings in the arms 24 and 25 of the buckle 2, which arms 24 and 25 are preferably cast integral with the cylinder 26. The end of the cylinder 26 adjacent the arm 25 has a large opening 21. The other end of the cylinder 26 has a wave-like key receiving opening 28 conforming in outline to the cross sections of the blade portion, driving part or bit 29 of the key 30. In the cylinder 26 there is rotatably and slidably mounted the locking barrel or bolt 3| which is resiliently urged toward the key opening 28 by the coil spring 32 disposed between the closed end 33 of the barrel 3| and the plug 34 which is fixed in the large opening 21 of the cylinder 26.

The bolt 3| in the present instance has two slots or openings 35 and 35 diametrically opposed to one another and extending axially inward from the end 31 of the bolt 3 I. The axially inner ends of the slots 35 and 35 have intermediate projections 38 and 33 formed by the pairs of concave inner ends 40, 4|, and 42, 43, of the slots 35 and 36, respectively.

The cylinder 26, see Fig. 3, has a pin 44 extending diametrically across the same and through the slots 35 and 36. When the spring 32 is in position, due to the concave faces of the pairs of depressions 40, 4|, and 42, 43, the pin 44 will either rest in the depression 40 of the recess 35, and the depression 43 of the recess 36 as shown in Fig. 4, or in the depression 4| of the recess 35 [of] and the depression 42 of the recess 36, the concave faces of the recesses 43, 4|, and 42, 43, serving as cams on the pin 44.

As shown in Fig. 4, the bolt 3| also has an opening 45 having the axially extending edges or lips 45 and 41 to cooperate with the end 48 of the tongue 20, the lip 45 constituting the first shoulder and the lip 41 constituting the second shoulder.

The opening 45 is predetermined in position relative to the recesses 35 and 36, depending upon the path of movement of the end 48 of the tongue 25. .Thecylinder 26 has-aslotAB formed therein, in length in the presentinstance va little more than a quadrant of the cylindrical wall of the cylinder 26 and in width conforming to the width of the tongue 20 so that it will just clear the same, see the position of the tongue in the opening 49 in Fig. 1. The length of the .slot 49 in turn similarly conforms to the conformation of the end 48 of thetongue 'ZBso-that locked position, see Fig. '6, the end .48 of the tongue will just fill up the opening 49 bothlength- Wise and crosswise.

The end 48 of the tongue 20 is bifurcatedhav- I ing the two projections or fingers 5D and 5! forming the mouth 52. The outerface 5315f thefinger 5c is bevelled or chamfered toform-a cam face to cooperate with the edge 41 of the opening :45, see Fig. 7, to deflect it .into the position showninFig. 8 against the tensionof the spring 32, and then upon the continued inward pressure on'thetongue Zllthe edge 4Biof,the.opening 45 will be engaged to return the bolt 3| into the locked position shown'in Fig. 7 where the edge =41 will be positioned in the mouth 52 of the 'tongueic, see the position'shownin Fig.6.

When it is desired toiunlock or freethe'tongue 28 it will only be necessary .to..rotate the bolt 3! in a counterclockwise direction against .the tension of'the-spring 32 where .the edge .46 will flip the tongue 20 outwardlyinto the position shown in Fig. 5. On the other hand, when the lock is in the 'openposition shown in Fig. 5, and it is desired to lock the tongue 21:, it is only necessary topress the tongue 20 against theedge .46 of .the opening 45 and against the tension of the spring 32 until the pin rides over the projections 38 and 39 ,into the position .in the depressions 4i and 42 'from the position inthe depressions 4c and43, that :shown. in -Fig.-1l. .In order ,to angularly -rotate the-bolt 3!, the .blade :of a key, such as the bladeja will be used. The

blade 29 is preferably wave-:likejn cross section zandzhas .two slots :54 and 55 v to clear the end wall '55 of the cylinder '26 when the blade-.28 risinserted in the key slot .28 in a position where the recesses 54 and [anad] 55 registerwith the end wall 56. In such position, the .lower :end 151 of the key bit [blade] .will clear thepin 44 and due to the clearances r openings 35,136, thewings 58 and [anad] 59 will be in position toengage theaxially extending edgesof the slots '35 and 56. .If the'bolt 3! werein the-position shown in Fig. 4 relative to the pin 44, and .the

wing portions 58 and 519 of1theblade 28 were positioned in the recesses 35 and 35, then if .the

key 35 were turned so thatthe wing [blade] 58 would engage the edge .80 of .the recess 35 and the wing portion 59 would engage the edge Di the recess :35, and the key *3!) were rotated clockwise, it would :cause the bolt 3| toimove inwardly against the tension 40f :the spring 3'2 due to the projections 38 and .39 until the pin '44 would register with the depressions 114i and #201 the recesses 35'-and 35,respectively. With reference to Figs. 5 and '7, when the key was rotated as just described,'the bolt 31 would move from the positionshown in Fig.5 to that shown in Fig. '7.

In turn, should it be desirable to unlock or free the tongue from the position shown in 'Figrd-the'key so would be'rotated in a counterclockwise direction where the wing portion :58 would engage the edge or shoulder 52 of the recess 35, and the wing portion 59 would engage the edge or shoulder 63 of the recess 36 to rotate the boltgal against thetensionof the spring 32'where the pin 44 would move from a. position resting in the depressions 4| and 42 to the position shown in Fig. 4 where it rests in the depressions 40 and 43 and the edge 45 of the opening 45 would engage the tongue 20 to flip .itnut-ointo .the position shown in Fig. 5.

It is obvious that the present lock may be usedtoadvantage-not only with belts, but also with mail bags, ladies hand bags, trunks and the like; withoutidqparting from the general spirit of the invention.

.1t is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to the details of construction :without departing from the general :spirit of "the invention :as set forth in the appended claims. I

.-I claim:

.1. The combination of a ,framehaving a pivotally ,mounted tongue, said tongue having .two jaw forming projections at .theiree end thereof, .acylinder havinga closure at one end thereof and .an opening inthe cylindrical wall thereof, a cylindrical barrel having a cylindrical wall rotatably and slidably ,mounted in said cylinder, said barrel having an abutment atone end and two diametrically opposed recesses in its cylindrical wall terminating in one end of the'barrel withguide shoulders formed by axially inwardly extending depressionsin the troughs of the recesses, a pin secured to the wall of the cylinder .and extending diametrically through said recesses, a spring tensed between the closure at one end of said cylinder and the abutment of said barrel normally to urge .the barrel toward the other end of said cylinder and said guide shoulders into engagement with said pin, said barrel having an opening in its cylindrical wall .defmed Joy ;an ,axially extending first shoulder andean axially (extending second shoulder, said first shoulder exposed at the opening in said cylinder when said pin rests in one depression ;in each of said ,recesses and the barrel is in locked position, said second shoulder exposed at the opening .in the wall of said cylinder when said pin rests .in the other depression of each of said recesses and said barrel is in unlocked position to receive said tongue to enable pressure :on said tongue to rotate said barrel interlocking engagement with the jaw of said tongue, there being a key slot formed in said other end of said cylinder, said barrel having axially extendin shoulders defining the sides of said recesses, the key slotbeing in alinement with said recesses and enabling the blade of a key to extend into said cylinder to engage the axially [axial] ex- :tendingshoulders to rotate said barrel either into locked or unlocked position.

:2. The;combination as set forth in claim .lin which a projection defines the depressions of each :recess vfrom one another which cooperate with said pinand said spring to anchor the bar- 'releither in locked or unlocked position.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 characterized by a projection defining the depressions of each recess from one another to enable the .pin and spring to anchor the barrel in lockedposition when the pin rests in the depressions which are disposed to the counterclockwise side of the intervening projections and to anchor the barrel in unlocked position when the pinrests'in thedepressions on the clockwise side of the intervening projections.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which a plug constitutes said abutment and closes said one end of said cylinder and in which the other end, of said cylinder in which the key slot is formed is integral with the cylinder.

5. The combination of a frame having a pivotally mounted tongue, said tongue having two jaw forming projections at the free end thereof, a cylinder having a closure at {of} one end thereof and an opening in the cylindrical wall thereof, a cylindrical barrel having a cylindrical wall rotatably and slidably mounted in said cylinder, said barrel having an abutment at one end and two diametrically oppose-d openings in its cylin drical wall with guide shoulders formed by axial- 1y inwardly extending depressions in the troughs of the barrel openings, a pin secured to the wall of the cylinder and extending diametrically through said barrel openings, a spring tensed between the closure at one end of said cylinder and the abutment of said larrel normally'to urge the barrel toward the other end of said cylinder and said guide shoulders into engagement with said pin, said barrel having an opening in its cylindrical wall defined by an axially extending first shoulder and an axially extending second shoulder, said first shoulder exposed at the opening in said cylinder when said pin rests in one depression in each of said barrel openings and the barrel is in locked position, said second shoulder exposed at the opening in the wall of said cylinder when said pin rests in the other depression of each of said barrel openings and said barrel is in unlocked position to receive said tongue to enable pressure on said tongue to rotate said barrel into locking engagement with the jaw of said tongue, there being a key slot formed in said other end of said cylinder, said barrel having axially extending edges at its other end with spaces therebetween, the key slot being in alinement with said spaces and enabling the blade of a key to extend into said cylinder to engage the axially extending edges [shoulders] to rotate said barrel either into locked or unlocked position.

6. The combination of a frame having a pivotally mounted tongue, said tongue having two jaw forming projections at the free end thereof, a cylinder having a closure at one end thereof and an opening in the cylindrical wall thereof, a cylindrical barrel having a cylindrical wall rotatably and sidably mounted in said cylinder, said barrel having an abutment at one end and. two diametri cally opposed openings in its cylindrical wall with guide shoulders formed by axially inwardly ea:- tending depressions in the troughs of the barrel openings, a pin secured to the wall of the cylinder and extending diametrically through said barrel openings, a spring tensed between the closure at one end of said cylinder and the abutment of said barrel normally to urge the barrel toward the other end of said cylinder and said. guide shoulders into engagement with said pin, said barrel having an opening in its cylindrical wall defined by an axially extending first shoulder and an axially extending second shoulder, said first shoulder exposed at the opening in said cylinder when said pin rests in one deperession in each of said barrel openings and the barrel is in locked position, said second shoulder exposed at the opening in the wall of said cylinder when said pin rests in the other depression of each of said, barrel openings and said barrel is in unlocked position to receive said tongue to enable pressure on said tongue to rotate said barrel into locking engagement with the jaw of said tongue, there being a key opening formed in said other end of said cylinder, said barrel having awially extending edges at its other encl'with clearances therebetween, the hey opening being in alinement with said clearances and enabling the bit'of a key to extend into said cylinder to engage the axially extending edges to rotate said barrel either into locked or unlocked position. HUGO R. KIRSTEN.

References Cited in the file of this patent or the original patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 661,974 Goozey Nov. 20, 1900 2,536,063 Kirsten Jan. 2, 1951 

